Electronic organ voicing control mounted on voice tab

ABSTRACT

A tone quality control for an electronic organ which is carried on the voice tab which controls a respective voice of the organ. The control includes an adjustable resistor, or rheostat, adjustable for varying a quality of the sound pertaining to the respective voice, such as the volume thereof. The control is advantageously carried on the underside of the tab pertaining to the respective voice and can readily be adjusted by the organ player to control the quality of the voice to which the adjustment pertains.

United States Patent Slaats et a1.

[451 Aug. 1,1912

[54] ELECTRONIC ORGAN VOICING CONTROL MOUNTED ON VOICE TAB [72]Inventors: Mathew A. Slants; James E.

Blessinger, both of Jasper, Ind.

[73] Assignee: Kimball Plano & Organ Co., Jasper,

Ind.

[22] Filed: Jan. 6, 1971 [211 App]. No.: 104,416

[52] US. Cl. ..84/1.l9, 84/124, 8411.27, 84/010. 7 [51] Int. Cl. ..Gl0h1/02 [58] Field of Search.....84/l.0l, 1.09, 1.1, 1.17, 1.24, 84/127,DIG. 7, 1.26, 1.04, 1.11, 1.19

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,873,637 2/1959 Herold..84/1.04 3,250,843 5/1966 .lenny ..84/1.09 3,406,243 10/1968 Soprani..84/l.27 3,519,722 7/1970 Heytow ..84/1.17 2,215,124 9/1940 Kock et al..84/1.26X

2,575,230 11/1951 Mork ..84/l.01 X 2,959,693 11/1960 Meyer ..84/l.26 X3,255,296 6/1966 Peterson ..84/1.24 3,316,341 4/1967 Peterson ..84/1.243,524,375 8/1970 Hopping ..84/l.27 X 3,546,353 12/1970 Jenny ..84/1.013,553,336 1/1971 Markowitz ..84/1 .09 3,562,399 2/1971 Yamauchi ..84/1.17 X Primary ExaminerLewis H. Myers Assistant ExaminerStan1ey J.Witkowski Attorney-Melvin A. Crosby [57] ABSTRACT A tone quality controlfor an electronic organ which is carried on the voice tab which controlsa respective voice of the organ. The control includes an adjustableresistor, or rheostat, adjustable for varying a quality of the soundpertaining to the respective voice, such as the volume thereof. Thecontrol is advantageously carried on the underside of the tab pertainingto the respective voice and can readily be adjusted by the organ playerto control the quality of the voice to which the adjustment pertains.

6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEU B U973 3.681.507

SHEET 10F 2 FIG-2 7 Q 11 I2 25 t r ig 4 Z2 20 as FIG-9 INVENTOR MATTHEWA. SLAATS BY JAME5 E. BLESSWGER WMM V PATENTEmus 1 m2 3.681.507

am as 2 FIG-8 FIG-7 INVENTOR. MATTHEW Aw SLHHTS JHMas E, BLESSINGER WMQMELECTRONIC ORGAN VOICING CONTROL MOUNTED ON VOICE TAB The presentinvention relates to electronic organs and is particularly concernedwith a novel arrangement for adjusting the quality of at least one voiceof the organ.

Electronic organs are, of course, well known and include, in addition tothe playing keys and tone generator, a plurality of voice circuitswhich, when effective, modify the output of the tone generator toproduce a sound peculiar to the respective voice circuit. In aconventional organ, voice tabs are provided which are operable to openand close switches connected in circuit with the respective circuitcomponents making up the voice circuits which modify the output from thetone generator and, thus, merely accomplish the turning on and turningoff of the respective voice of the organ. All volume adjustments, andthe like, in the conventional organ are made in respect of the totalorgan output, or in respect of the output of the respective keyboardsthereof.

It is often the case, however, that an organ player could, to advantage,have a certain voice, or voices, sound more strongly than other voicesin order to ob tain a desired effect, or to bring out a voice simulatinga particular instrument, such as a violin, more strongly than the othervoices to create the effect of a solo instrument. Further, it might bedesired to vary a quality other than the volume of a respective voice,such as the timbre of a trumpet, or the like. With conventionalelectronic organs, such individual adjustment of respective voices hasnot heretofore been possible.

With the foregoing in mind, a primary objective of the present inventionis the provision of an arrangement for individually adjusting at leastone quality of one or more of the several voices of an electronic organ.

A further object is the provision of an adjustable element operable foradjusting a quality of a respective voice of an electronic organ andwhich is carried by the tab pertaining to the respective voice.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a tabmounted adjusting element for an organ which is substantially concealedbut which is readily operable by the organ player.

The foregoing objects of the present invention as well as still otherobjects and advantages thereof become more apparent upon reference tothe following detailed specification taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view showing a typical tab for anelectronic organ for controlling a respective voice thereof.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, indicated by line II-II on FIG. 1,showing the tab from the side thereof and the manner in which it ismounted in the case of the organ.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the voicing circuit pertaining to thetab and the manner in which the voicing circuit is controlled by thetab.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the adjustable arrangement carriedby the underside of the tab, looking down from the top thereof.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but looking up from the bottom ofthe adjustable arrangement.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view indicated by line Vl-VI on FIG. 2 and showingthe manner in which the adjustable arrangement is mounted on theunderside of the tab.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view showing a modified arrangement of theadjustable device carried by the tab.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a more or less conventional switch to beoperated by the tab when the adjustable device of FIG. 7 is mountedthereon.

FIG. 9 is a schematic circuit representation of an organ voicing circuitand the control arrangement therefor according to the modification ofFIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 10 is a somewhat schematic perspective view showing the manner inwhich the adjustable element on the tab could be so arranged that theadjusted position thereof could readily be discernable by the organplayer.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, acontrol element, such as a rheostat, or resistor arrangement, isprovided which is connected in the voicing circuit of the organ and isadjustable for varying the level of the output from the voicing circuit,or for varying some other quality of the sound that results when therespective voicing circuit is active. Advantageously, the rheostat, orresistor arrangement, is a somewhat elongated device having a sliderthereon, and is adapted for mounting on the underside of the respectivevoice tab and has electrical connections leading thereto from the innerend of the tab so that, normally, the rheostat, or resistor arrangement,and the slider element thereof are concealed from view but are,nevertheless, readily accessible to the organ player.

In one modification, the slider of the rheostat, or resistorarrangement, is provided with an extension which may extend completelyaround the respective tab so that the position thereof can be determinedmerely by glancing at the tab.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail,in FIG. I, 10 represents a portion of an organ case, for example, theportion thereof upstanding behind the keyboard of the upper manual. Itis conventional for this portion of the organ case to contain aplurality of tabs, one of which is shown at 12 in FIG. 1. These tabscontrol switches that make respective voicing circuits of the organeffective or ineffective. In FIG. I, only one such tab is shown, but itwill be understood that the usual organ comprises a group of the tabsfor the upper manual, a further group of tabs for the lower manual and astill further group for the pedal clavier.

According to the present invention, the tab 12, which is pivoted onportion 10 of the organ as by a pivot shaft 14 and is under the controlof an over center spring 16, has a recess 18 formed in the bottomthereof into which is inserted a rheostat, or resistor arrangement,generally indicated at 20, and which comprises a finger adjustableslider 22.

The rheostat, or resistor arrangement, provides, in one modification ofthe invention, a volume adjustment whereby the strength of a respectivevoice can be adjusted. In another modification of the invention, therheostat, or resistor arrangement, changes another quality of therespective voice and which change may or may not be associated with achange in volume of the voice.

In the case of the first mentioned modification, FIG. 3 schematicallyillustrates the pertaining circuitry. In FIG. 3, the element indicatedat 24 is a voicing circuit to which signals are supplied from the tonegenerator of the organ via an input wire 26. The output wire 28 lead ingfrom the voicing circuit passes through the back of the tab via a bore30 provided therefor, as will be seen in FIG. 2, and is connected to oneend of the rheostat, or resistor arrangement 20, as shown in FIG. 3.

The other terminal leading from the arrangement leads to a contact 32adapted for closing on a second contact 34 when the tab is moveddownwardly to effective position. Contact 34 is connected by a wire 36with the amplifying system of the organ so that, when tab 12 is in itstilted down position, the voicing circuit at 24 is effective forsupplying signals to the output system of the organ. FIG. 3 will alsoshow that the element 22 is operable for adjusting the effective ohmicvalue of the device 20.

Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, arrangement, or device, 20 will be seen tocomprise an electrical insulating body part 40 having a longitudinalslot 42 formed therein through which slot the finger adjustable sliderelement 22 extends. On the upper side of body 40 there is arranged ametal strip 44 and an elongated resistance element 46. Wire 28 connectsto one end of metal strip 44 as, for example, by the one end of themetal strip being wrapped around the end of body 40, as shown in FIG. 5,and soldered to the wire.

The slider element 22 comprises a generally rectangular portion 48 ontop of body 40 which has a metal frame 41 on the underside whichincludes the resilient contact fingers 50 which slide on metal strip 44and on the strip 46 of resistance material. Portion 48 is confinedbetween the upper side of body 40 and the bottom of the recess in theunderside of tab 12 whereby contact fingers 50 are resiliently pressedagainst strip 44 and resistance element 46.

On the underside of body 40, as will be seen in FIG. 5, is another metalstrip forming the aforementioned contact 32 which is adapted to close onswitch contact 34 when the tab is moved downwardly. Contact strip 32 isin electrical contact with one end of resistance element 46 as byforming one end of strip 32 around the end of body 40, as indicated at52 and making connections with the one extreme end of resistance element46. It will be apparent from the foregoing description that theresistance between incoming wire 28 and outgoing contact strip 32 isreadily adjustable by the player by moving the slider element 22 alongslot 42 and that the volume of the pertaining organ voice will be variedaccordingly.

In the modifications of FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 the on-off switch functioncontrolled by the tab, and the adjustable control of a quality of thevoice of the voicing circuit controlled by the respective tab areseparated. The resistance device in FIG. 7 merely comprises theinsulating body 60 with two strips 62 and 64 mounted thereon and bridgedby a slider element 66 with separate wires 68 and 70 leading from oneend of the strips. Either one or both of the strips, in the FIG. 7modification, can be resistance material. The tab in this modificationcontrols a switch '72 illustrated in FIG. 8, and which will be seen tocomprise a pair of contacts which close when the tab is depressed andwhich separate when the tab is moved upwardly. Switch 72 in FIG. 8 ismerely an on-off switch and serves merely to determine whether or notthe respective voicing circuit is connected with the output circuitry ofthe organ.

A typical circuit for utilizing the arrangement of FIGS. 7 and 8 isshown in FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, 74 is an input wire and is connected to oneside of a capacitor 76, the other side of which is connected with oneend of resistor 78, the other end of which is connected to ground viainduction coil 80, and also to one side of a capacitor 82, the otherside of which is connected via the resistor device 84 with ground. Theresistor device 84, with its slider, is the resistance device which isillustrated in FIG. 7.

The end of resistor 78 opposite capacitor 76 is also connected to oneend of resistor 86, the other end of which is connected to one side of acapacitor 88, the other side of which is connected via a resistor toground, and also to one side of a resistor 92, which, on its other side,is connected to one terminal of the tab controlled switch 72 of FIG. 8.

When the slider element 66 in FIG. 7 is adjusted, thereby to change thevalue of the resistance between the capacitor 82 and ground, thecharacter of the voice supplied through switch 72 is varied. Forexample, the particular voicing circuit shown in FIG. 9 is for a trumpetand the input to the circuit via wire 74 is a basic tone, rich inharmonics, such as a saw tooth wave. Adjustment of the slider alongresistor 84 will change the resonant frequency of the tank circuit fedby the aforementioned basic tone, and the tone supplied to the organoutput system via switch 72 can thereby be modified to get a somewhatfiat, or muted, trumpet effect, as opposed to the usual rather hollowsound of a trumpet.

It will be understood that the circuit of FIG. 9 is supplied merely toillustrate the applicability of the present invention to the controllingof a quality of the voice pertaining to a respective tab other than thevolume thereof. Thus, in the appended claims the term quality" is usedwith relatively broad connotations, and is intended to include not onlythe volume but other characteristics of the respective voice, as well.

FIG. 10 shows a tab having an adjusting arrangement mounted thereon andwherein the slider 102 of the arrangement is constructed and arranged tobe visible from above the tab, as by wrapping partly or completely,around the tab.

Modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electronic musical instrument; voicing circuit means havinginput and output terminals and operable when a tone signal is suppliedto the input terminal thereof to supply an output signal at the saidoutput terminal having the same pitch as said tone signal but modifiedas to wave form, switch means serially connected to said voicing circuitmeans and having a first closed position wherein the respective voicingcircuit means is effective and a second open position wherein therespective voicing circuit means is ineffective, a tab connected to saidswitch means for the selective manual actuation thereof, electricalcomponent means connected in circuit with said voicing circuit means andoperable for influencing a quality of the tone signal produced at theoutput terminal of the voicing circuit means when the switch meanspertaining thereto is in the said first position thereof and a tonesignal is supplied to the input terminal thereof, said componentcomprising an element adjustable to vary the electrical characteristicsof the component, and manually adjustable means carried directly on saidtab and connected to said element and being selectively moveable foradjusting the said element of said component means thereby to vary thesaid quality of the said sound produced by the said voicing circuitmeans.

2. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1 in which saidadjustable means is in the form of a slider carried on the respectivetab and moveable in the direction of the length of the tab to effectadjustment of said element.

3. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 2 in which thesaid slider is carried on the underneath side of the said tab.

4. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 2 in which thesaid component means comprises variable resistance means and saidelement is a contact moveable along the resistance means, said sliderbeing connected to said element.

5. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1 in which saidcomponent means comprises resistance means and in which the said qualityof the sound is the volume thereof.

6. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 2 in which saidslider and tab having cooperating elements visible from above the tabwhereby the player of the instrument can readily observe the adjustedposition of the said slider on the said tab.

I t i i i

1. In an electronic musical instrument; voicing circuit means having input and output terminals and operable when a tone signal is supplied to the input terminal thereof to supply an output signal at the said output terminal having the same pitch as said tone signal but modified as to wave form, switch means serially connected to said voicing circuit means and having a first closed position wherein the respective voicing circuit means is effective and a second open position wherein the respective voicing circuit means is ineffective, a tab connected to said switch means for the selective manual actuation thereof, electrical component means connected in circuit with said voicing circuit means and operable for influencing a quality of the tone signal produced at the output terminal of the voicing circuit means when the switch means pertaining thereto is in the said first position thereof and a tone signal is supplied to the input terminal thereof, said component comprising an element adjustable to vary the electrical characteristics of the component, and manually adjustable means carried directly on said tab and connected to said element and being selectively moveable for adjusting the said element of said component means thereby to vary the said quality of the said sound produced by the said voicing circuit means.
 2. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1 in which said adjustable means is in the form of a slider carried on the respective tab and moveable in the direction of the length of the tab to effect adjustment of said element.
 3. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 2 in which the said slider is carried on the underneath side of the said tab.
 4. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 2 in which the said component means comprises variable resistance means and said element is a contact moveable along the resistance means, said slider being connected to said element.
 5. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1 in which Said component means comprises resistance means and in which the said quality of the sound is the volume thereof.
 6. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 2 in which said slider and tab having cooperating elements visible from above the tab whereby the player of the instrument can readily observe the adjusted position of the said slider on the said tab. 